The last Stapleton-Specific Preparing for Denver Kindergarten class of the season is on January 19, 2019, and it will address some big changes to DPS Round 1 Choice this year. The Round 1 Choice window has been moved again – it opens 01/15/19 and closes 02/15/19 at 4:00pm. And, it was just announced that parents will now be able to list up to TWELVE schools on their online choice form. This is actually good news, especially for those choicing into ECE, those living in an Enrollment Zone, and those on wait lists:

This will benefit parents trying to get into ECE

ECE odds are very low and most parents do not get a seat without sibling priority (ECE is not guaranteed to anyone outside of a few Child Find expectations each year)

Now, instead of having to limit your list to 5 schools, you can try for up to 12

Stapleton Enrollment Zone parents are legally guaranteed a spot at ONE of the six Stapleton Enrollment Zone Elementary Schools starting in Kindergarten

In the past, you could not list all six schools in the order you prefer (only five options)

In the past, you could not list all Enrollment Zone schools in the order you prefer AND list any schools outside of the Zone (e.g. Expeditionary, Charter, Dual Language, etc.)

Now, you can list all six in the order you prefer plus any other schools that you are interested in (e.g. Odyssey K-8 Expeditionary, Stedman Dual Language, etc.) so that the Choice Office does not choose your enrollment zone school for you

Bill Roberts and Swigert were both listed as #1 more than almost any other Elementary Schools in DPS last year

This will hopefully cause less wait list movement after Round 1

Now that Round 2 is first come, first serve within admission priority groups, wait lists are seeing much more movement after Round 2 opens

Now that everyone can use up to 12 schools in Round 1, some may not use Round 2 at all

More wait lists will be established early, for less movement up or down after Round 2

Keely Buchanan is the co-founder of Preparing for Denver Kindergarten (PFDK), a company that helps Denver Area parents of kiddos aged 1-5+ navigate the search for Public and Private Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School. Keely is a resident of Denver, 80210 and both of her boys currently attend a Denver Public School. She writes regularly about Public and Private School best practices, deadlines, trending data, and inside scoops.